Unforgettably Embarrassing Events
posted on Sunday, July 9, 2006 @ 1:07 pm
Embarrassing events (which all happened to be language-related) of Vickie in descending order, less embarrassing first.
(5) I once mispronounced “pretentious” as pre-TEN-tee-ous instead of pre-TEN-cious when I was angry. What sound argument. </sarcasm>
(4) When some of my ex-classmates asked what “plagiarism” meant and how it was pronounced, and in order to prove to them that the English pronunciation was really easy, I broke the syllables into play-gee-AIR-rism by mistake, when I knew the word should be pronounced as PLAY-jar-rism. I sincerely hope that they’ve completely forgotten that word now.
(3) I once said clutches when I meant crutches. “Clutches?” “Yes, clutches.” In a formal presentation.
(2) I never knew lasagne was not pronounced as la-SAHG-na, until I said it out loud in front of 3 friends. Now I can’t eat lasagne without remembering that event and blushing.
(1) When I came out to an old friend (oh that was ages ago), she asked whether I’d come out to my parents as well. I didn’t know what “come out” meant back then and replied, “Yeh, we’d probably dine out.”
Unrelated to languages; but if my parents somehow discover Trusty #1 and Trusty #3 among my luggage later, that would so top the list…
Much Overdone but… Owww
posted on Friday, May 13, 2005 @ 7:09 pm
De internez is suzh a greatz phlace. I have dis ulztra phainful ulczer or sore or whaztever you call itz in wmy wmouth, whiczh hurtz like hell whenevher I trwy to talk or eatz, and you can’tz evhen tell fromn de otzher side ofh da screen. I bhlame dose wmonthly horwmonal changes; bhut it’sz phossibhle dat I bhit mwy cheek withdout remwembhering it. Tomworrow — itz’ll hopvefully bhe bhetter tomworrow…
Can somweone trwanslate dat to English fwor mwe, phlease?
Bufituael Relppis
posted on Monday, March 28, 2005 @ 1:34 am
Apparently this has already been posted and read a million and one times on the numerous message boards out there, but I still found it interesting nonetheless.
Aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn’t mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoetnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be at the rghit pclae. The rset can be a toatl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe.
Pretty cool, isn’t it? Now try this.
K-space… beautiful ripples…
Did anyone read it as “beautiful nipples” like I did…? 
Oh. Never mind…
Apostrophe-Essness
posted on Friday, February 18, 2005 @ 9:10 pm
The boss’ boss, or the boss’s boss? The bosses’ boss, or the bosses’s boss? Ah, I’m confused.
Back in the days when I first learnt it (12-13 years ago?), I was taught to always drop the S after an apostrophe whenever I made a noun ending in S possessive. So, from what I learnt, the boss’s boss and the bosses’s boss are not correct. I continued to do the supposedly right way for the next 12-3 years, obviously, correcting people who added the supposedly extra S after a noun ending in S whenever possible; until today. Somehow, I had doubts.
I went to my trusty 14-year-old Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary (the older the dictionary the better, no?), and it told me that when the noun ending in S is singular, both ’ and ’s are acceptable. But when the noun is a plural ending in S, you only use the apostrophe without the S. Right, so the boss’ boss, the boss’s boss, and the bosses’ boss are all correct.
Then, I came across a few websites, that all seemed to suggest, rather confidently, that you always use ’s when the noun is singular, and drop the S for possessive plurals ending in S. One even stated that the boss’ boss (converted to the example of my case) is incorrect.
Grrreat. Now which one should I stick to?
On a completely unrelated topic, I love The Boss. No, I don’t mean my boss. I mean The Boss. THE Boss. The end (no pun intended).
I am Sorry?
posted on Saturday, December 13, 2003 @ 5:34 pm
For various unapprehended ulterior motives, I have undertaken the encumbrance to replenish this memorandum with perspicacious dialect. Nevertheless, veritably, I have not an inkling as to what I am speculating. Perhaps to extirpate my quondam appellation of an extant procrastinator? Perchance, alternatively, to decamp the atrocious and nefarious hunk of Medical Engineering?
Despite the precedent affidavit, despite being necessitated to endure the perlustration befalling next Monday, I would recapitulate and substantiate that I have unequivocally luxuriated myself in the conspicuous scourge.
During the hardship, I have succored, and I have had countenance. Methinks that is what is momentous and imperative thereupon. A new me is engendered de novo. I have metamorphosed into a benevolent, cordial and affable being.
I shall adjourn, and expediently relinquish the entry subsequently. I envisage a moiety of these, haphazardly, being manipulated amiss.
Now, Biochemistry, forthwith!
